Misaligned teeth are a very common disorder and many young kids and even adults have crooked teeth. So what is the solution to this? How would you solve the problem? The answer is a one-word answer- Braces. Braces are one of the most acclaimed and recommended methods to straighten and align teeth by physicians from all across the world. So, if you belong to the 70% of the people who have misaligned teeth, then hang on with us for a while as we take you through every little aspect of braces!
Cause of crooked teeth
Teeth can become crooked and it is a very similar situation among both children and adults. Crooked teeth among babies can be caused because of continual sucking of a thumb or a pacifier, or can even be hereditary.
Small jaw size -A few people, both adults, and little children may have crooked teeth because of the small jaw size. If the jaw size is small then the teeth don’t have enough room to grow and hence may get misaligned.
Poor dental care- poor dental care can be another reason for crooked teeth, the lack of flossing, and not brushing in the right manner can cause gum diseases and hence causing misalignment of teeth.
Facial injury – facial injuries due to accidents either suffered in childhood or adulthood can dislocate teeth, the thrusting force can dislocate and cause misaligned teeth and in some cases may even remove the teeth from their root
What problems do crooked teeth cause? And is it necessary to align them?
Most of the people are not aware of crooked teeth and usually avoid it.Although misaligned teeth don’t cause any severe problem, they could cause a hindrance in your speech and could look awful when you smile and a few teeth pop out. The problem although not severe and could result in hindrance in the long run. Well, aligning or not is up to one’s personal decision but if you really want to flaunt that gorgeous smile of yours then you should consider correcting your teeth
What is the cure to crooked teeth?
So now, once that you’ve made up your mind to treat your teeth. You’re looking for options, so what is the first measure you can take? Firstly you must go to your trusted dentist and consult them. You’ll be given two choices, one being braces and the other is a tooth straightening surgery.
Braces are the most recommended option of the above-listed methods. Why? Let’s find out.
Why choose braces?
Braces are an excellent option for people of almost all age groups and it has no age bar. The only condition to put on braces is that your gums and roots must be strong enough otherwise it can lead to entirely breaking the teeth due to the force applied by the braces. Braces are more recommended for children as at a young age their roots, gums, and bone tissues are much stronger than those of adults and even the teeth are more malleable and it could be easy to straighten teeth and correct the misalignment at a young age.
How do braces actually work?
Dental braces are known as devices which are required for the treatment or correction of the misaligned and crooked tooth, which in scientific terminology is called malocclusion. Braces move your teeth and help in the treatment by applying force and constant pressure on the crooked teeth for long periods of time. The teeth continuously exposed to external force and pressure gradually adjust and start moving back.
Does getting braces hurt and what are the types of braces?
Well, this truly depends on two factors
- How skilled and experienced is the doctor?
- How much pain could you possibly bear?
The process of installing braces can take a few hours. It usually doesn’t cause pain during an appointment. After the installation has been done, you may probably experience a sort of soreness and numbness and may take around a week’s time to adjust with the recliners. Meanwhile, the soreness could last around one week.
Basically, there are three types of braces, each of them work in the same way but differ in comfort levels, the cost, and the material they are composed of, the three types include
- Ceramic braces
- Stainless steel braces
- Plastic braces
Total number of steps in the process of installing braces
There are various steps and components which are involved in the process of installing braces.
Bracket adhesion
Cleaning and flossing thoroughly is the first and most important step before proceeding towards braces. This step is performed by your dentist before starting the procedure. There are various materials available for your braces such as steel, plastic or ceramic. You can choose any one of it depending upon your convenience and budget. It is then closely placed in close relation to your teeth. Initially it takes time to get used to it as it can make you feel quite uncomfortable. The brackets apply continuous pressure on your teeth and eventually push them backwards. The wire which surrounds the brackets is made up of stainless steel, copper titanium or nickel-titanium.
Bands
These elastic bands are placed around the brackets. These O-rings or ligatures play an important role to add on to the pressure which is applied by the brackets. It also catalyzes the correction pace. It helps to realign the teeth in a much quicker way and also increases the efficacy of the brackets.
Spacers
The spacers help in assisting the braces by pushing your jaw in the forward direction. It makes more space for the brackets to fill in the groove. These spacers are placed between the molars. It is composed of metal or rubber bands. The spacers are worn for a short duration of time either a week or two.
Archwires
The archwires play a vital role in connecting the brackets on the teeth. It also add on and applies further pressure on the teeth. These archwires are made up of stainless steel, copper titanium or nickel-titanium.
Buccal tube
The buccal tube is made up of metal and it is attached to the molars. They help in the tightening of brackets and also restructure it.
Facebow headgear
The facebow headgear is suggested only in a few number of cases. The dentist can recommend you to wear this rare accessory at night before sleep. It isn’t compulsory as it is required when the further pressure is applied. It is not commonly used in maximum cases.
How long do braces take?
The total time taken for the treatment to be completed varies from person to person depending upon his age, strength of the jaws, the extent of realignment and malleability of the teeth.
The time taken for the treatment varies from 1-3 years. During this duration, brackets are compulsorily worn.
What conclusion do we draw now?
Braces are one of the most successful methods of teeth correction and have an exceedingly high success rate. It is recommended to all age groups and can largely change the way you look, speak, and smile and can definitely add a touch of class to your smile. Hence we would surely recommend you to reach out to the nearest dentist and change a part of your life.